CA GROWN tour an adventure not to be forgotten
The Yolo County Specialty Crop Agri-Tour, hosted by CA GROWN, proved to be a resounding success. Cher Watte, the executive director of CA GROWN, and Amy Myrdal Miller, who manages retail nutrition initiatives for CA GROWN, hosted 23 retail dietitians from the United States and Canada on July 16.
The tour featured visits to the Bayer Vegetable Seed breeding facility, a honey tasting and lunch at The HIVE Kitchen & Tasting Bar in Woodland, and a tour of the Mariani walnut orchard and the Mariani Nut Co. facility in Winters, CA.
The Introduction to honeybees and honey session showcased the essential role honeybees play in the food system, explaining the honey production process from collection to bottling and marketing. Participants enjoyed a guided tasting of three CA GROWN honeys, and each received three small jars to take home.
During the California Walnut Orchard & Processing Facility Tour, attendees explored a walnut orchard, learning about walnut cultivation, tree care, production, harvesting and storage methods to maintain quality. They also visited a walnut processing facility that operates year-round to deliver fresh, high-quality walnuts to global markets.
The feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing their appreciation for the site visits, fresh produce tastings and interactions with growers. If future funding permits, CA GROWN aims to continue such initiatives to deepen retail dietitians' understanding of the importance and impact of California agriculture, especially in specialty crop production. These dietitians are crucial in connecting with shoppers and sharing accurate, engaging information about produce.
